Simon Cowell Flies To The Rescue For 'BGT' Crew Dad

Simon Cowell has been hailed a hero for offering his private jet to a Britain's Got Talent crew member whose pregnant girlfriend went into early labour.

Sound recorder John Hagenstede was shooting the latest round of auditions in Edinburgh, Scotland when he found out his partner Lisa Stewart was getting ready to welcome their first child nearly two weeks before her due date.

John panicked when he couldn't find a quick flight back to Caterham, Surrey, where his partner had been rushed to hospital in an ambulance.

He told the Daily Express: "Lisa wasn't due for another 12 days so I was shocked to get the call and desperately wanted to get back to Surrey to be with her.

However, Simon swooped in to the rescue by offering the 44-year-old a ride back to England on his plush plane so he wouldn't miss the birth.

John jetted into Luton airport with Simon and his fellow BGT judges David Walliams and Alesha Dixon, and was even treated to a chauffeur ride to the hospital in the nick of time to see the birth of his son Jude Berkeley Hagenstede on Sunday.

He adds: "There was a car waiting for Simon and the others and another one that he had laid on for me. Simon said: 'Congratulations to you and your girlfriend and I hope it goes well.'

"I just wanted to keep thanking him - I was over the moon... He's such a beautiful child. I thought it was near impossible that I would get to see the birth but I got here with just minutes to spare.

"If it hadn't been for Simon and his plane I would have missed the whole thing. Hats off to him."